NEWINGTON — Seacoast Corvette enthusiasts are on a drive to make a difference for organizations in need.

Newington resident Steve Prefontaine is the founder of the Great Bay Corvette Club, a new nonprofit organization for fans of the American-made sports car who are interested in community service. Prefontaine said there are more than 600 such clubs across the United States.

The past couple of months have been busy, with time spent establishing the group's bylaws and articles of organization, and developing a Web site that is now live at www.greatbaycorvetteclub.com.

“It's been a good two months of work, but it's been fun, too,” Prefontaine said.

Prefontaine is the proud owner of a brand-new 2014 white Stingray, which he described as “one mean son of a gun.” The fully loaded machine features 460 horsepower and 465 pounds of torque.

The Stingray joins Prefontaine's 2012 Grand Sport convertible, painted in a one-year only “Carlisle blue” hue with a navy blue top. Both are currently hibernating in a detached two-car garage at his home.

“Once I bought (the convertible), hook, line and sinker, I was done,” he said.

A lifelong automobile fanatic, Prefontaine said he only came to realize the beauty of Corvettes thanks to Lisa Dole, a secretary/accountant at his business, Skaff Cryogenics in Brentwood.

Dole, of Kingston, said her love of Corvettes dates to when she was 7 years old, when her father bought a 1967 Stingray. Her entire family has been hooked ever since, even joining other Corvette clubs over the years.

“To be a part of a Corvette family is really something that you can't explain,” she said. “The camaraderie of the Corvette family keeps you going with it.”

Dole said the Corvette community focuses on charity and giving back because owners of the high-end cars feel fortunate.

“It's extremely rewarding to me to be able to give back to the community,” she said.

Prefontaine said he hopes to continue his family's tradition of charity work. The family has supported organizations like the Franciscan Hospital for Children in Brighton, Mass., which treated Prefontaine's nephew, Nick, following a serious snowboarding accident in 2003. Suffering brain stem injuries and left in an induced coma with the prospect of being tube-fed for the rest of his life, Nick Prefontaine made a miraculous recovery thanks to the Franciscan Hospital, Steve Prefontaine said. Nick's story is told online at www.nickprefontaine.com.

“They pretty much saved his life, so we do what we can for them,” he said.

Prefontaine envisions the Great Bay Corvette Club hosting car shows and other fund-raisers to support the Franciscan Hospital and local organizations that do good work in the community.

“My parents always taught us to give back when you can. 'Pay it forward' is my favorite line ever,” he said.

The first official meeting of the Great Bay Corvette Club is Saturday at 9 a.m. at Grill 28 on the Pease International Tradeport. It is an open meeting, and all are invited; non-Corvette owners are welcomed to join the club. Dues are $50 per year.

“It's been a trip,” he said. “Hopefully, it's sustainable so we can keep it going.”